The News Freedom
Gurugram, December 8
Lauding the vision of extending facilities to disabled individuals in villages and rural areas, Vice President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday underscored the importance of “thinking out of the box and being innovative” to enhance the lives of disabled individuals. “Everyone must contribute in one way or another”, he urged.
The Vice-President stressed that differently-abled people must not be considered objects of sympathy, but deserve recognition for their wealth of knowledge, aptitude, inclination and expertise. He emphasized on the need to create an eco-system whereby we empower our disabled people who hold immense talent that can be leveraged.
Referring to the example of Albert Einstein who suffered from dyslexia, Dhankhar highlighted that our perception of disabilities often hinges on what is visible. However, true disability encompasses more than just what meets the eye, he said, and extends to the realms of mental, spiritual, and emotional challenges. The Vice-President called for addressing all forms of disabilities and structuring suitable solutions for the same.
Addressing the 10th National Conference on Disability in Gurugram today, the Vice-President highlighted the shift in perspective that has taken place in societal notions which once deemed women incapable of difficult tasks. Noting that the “ceiling has been broken” with women taking leading roles across diverse spheres, the Vice-President called for a similar shift in perception toward individuals labelled as “disabled”. “They are not disabled; we take them to be disabled,” he pointed out. Those who outwardly appear physically able may harbour some form of disability, whether visible or hidden,and nobody is truly complete, he elaborated.
There was a time when it was believed that women may not be suitable for difficult tasks.
That ceiling has been broken!
Our girls are now combat pilots, at the frontline of defence, in all walks of life!
The same is true of people who we term 'disabled'. They are not disabled.… pic.twitter.com/mZ1MD1vx6T
— Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) December 9, 2023
Cautioning against the recent trend of merely “putting something in somebody’s pocket,” the Vice President underlined the risk of fostering dependency rather than empowerment. Stressing the need to prioritise empowerment, especially amongst the vulnerable sections including the disabled, women, and minorities, he urged major corporate entities to direct their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds towards empowering these sections of society.
Stressing that India’s ethos and G-20 motto of VasudhaivaKutumbakam is now a ground reality, the Vice-President stated that there has been a shift in the world’s perspective towards India. He called for a departure from solely looking towards the West for solutions, noting that now, the West seeks insights from India. He highlighted India’s prominent position on the global stage today, highlighting that the “nation’s unprecedented growth has astonished the world”.